The Right Of Stupidity (Without A Clue)

Recently I had a conversation with a couple of friends in which I asked what they thought of African-American actress Stacey Dash’s support of Mitt Romney. They both said they didn’t understand the criticism as she’s entitled to free speech and can support whoever she likes and why don’t people just leave her alone. Their reaction surprised me a bit but I agreed with them…to a point. What angers me with people trotting out free speech rights is they assume those rights come without consequences. I think that most people will agree that Stacey Dash is an idiot and no one really cares what she thinks and in fact this may be some ridiculous effort to gain publicity because her career certainly isn’t going anywhere but come on, what did she think would happen? We are all free to express ideas and opinions but when someone exercises their right to free speech and calls you out on it you don’t have the right to whine like a bitch and claim your rights are being trampled. When you pose in a skimpy red bathing suit in front of the American flag and make stupid ass statements in support of candidates who are in direct opposition to your rights as not only a woman but as an African-American you come off as unintelligent and for lack of a better word Clueless and people are bound to react. The fact is everyone in America is entitled to free speech, it’s a constitutional right. Hell, you can support Bugs Bunny for president if you want but using my free speech rights, I’m also allowed to call you a dumb ass.

Using free speech as an excuse to be hateful, intolerant and discriminatory has become an all too common tool used by bigots, racists and homophobes. When Hank Williams, Jr. uses his first amendment right to make hateful racist statements regarding the President I am completely within my free speech rights to call him out as a bigot. If you as a businessman tell me you don’t like African-Americans because you believe them to be God’s mistake and you therefore support efforts to prevent them exercising their civil rights, it is completely within your rights as an American to say so. It is also within my rights as an American to make sure people are aware of your feelings and organize protests against your business. However, when tactics such as boycotting or even picketing are used or even if I’m critical of your statements suddenly I’m trouncing on your free speech rights and you portray yourself as the victim. And far too often people fall for it…Chick fil A anyone?

Stacey can't even articulate a coherent reason for her endorsement. She says “I chose Mitt not by the color of his skin but by the content of his character." Really Stacey? Character? (I’ll pause for a moment to allow Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to roll over in his grave) This character you support wants to cut aid to the poor and elderly, repeal healthcare for millions who otherwise would have no access, increase military spending for senseless wars, allow the rich to pay less in taxes than the poor and middle class and suppress your rights as a woman. Not to mention shipping his money to foreign banks avoiding income taxes and then refusing to divulge his tax returns …yeah, some character. All of this would have been obvious to her if she had spent more time researching Romney and his positions instead of tweeting her boobs out to the world. Of course her candidate with character also wants to cut funds to education which will only aid in producing more stupid people like herself.

Finally I gotta say I’m sick of people who say African-Americans vote based on color, which was an obvious inference in her statement. I’ve always found that to be so insulting as if we’re too stupid to vote intelligently. If this were true Herman Cain, Allen West and even Clarence Thomas would be a lot more popular in the black community. What’s more truthful is that White people are more likely to vote based on color…or the lack of it. How about we know to vote based on what’s best for us as a people and a community. How about we’re intelligent enough to know who the best candidate is regardless of race. How about we can’t comprehend why someone would endorse a man who lacks the aptitude to make up his mind and has demonstrated the inability to express a core principle or belief, a man who is clearly clueless about the less fortunate among us. How about that Stacey. Of course I wouldn’t want to trounce on your right to free speech by making you think so please, speak on…dumb ass.